Regan's Reach 4: Avarice (43 page)

BOOK: Regan's Reach 4: Avarice

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Regan looked down at herself and suddenly
felt revolted by what she saw. An ability that had seemed exciting before now
suddenly felt far from it, like being trapped in an alien machine. And she
could see that the android although like her was much taller, a true Amazon
figure and quite intimidating. She nodded to Hilary and seemed to slide out of
the form, her much more familiar avatar appearing and staring down at the now
lifeless husk before turning to the doorway.

Leah and Marin stood there, crestfallen. It
was Leah who approached first and Marin followed. She reached out a hand as if
to stroke Regan's hair, gently completing the action in a gesture so tender it
seemed real. They both had tears in their eyes.

"Regan," Leah shook her head in
wonder, "You gave your life for us, what were you thinking?"

Suddenly a burst of confidence flooded
Regan that seemed to replace the grief and self pity. She reached out too, to
touch Leah's arm and made eye contact at the same time with Marin. "Babe,
I wasn't thinking anything except a galaxy without you in it was unbearable. At
some level, I knew I'd still be here. I couldn't bear to see you suffer and
die."

As she spoke the words another thought
occurred to her and she turned to the beautiful man, drawing him in with a warm
smile. "I guess Ham and I aren't so different after all."

Marin looked hopeful. "Babe, we can
get you a new body, an even better one."

She just smiled sadly in response. "I
kind of liked my old one."

Leah smiled with sudden hope. "Maybe
Hilary can make one just like your old body, only a little younger maybe,
imagine that, perpetual youth."

And Regan summoned a warm encouraging smile
to lift them; it would take a while but she could do it she knew. It would be a
new beginning, a new normal.

* * * * *

Epilogue

Regan sat comfortably in the speaker's chair,
in her place as Titular Head of the Gliese star system. She scanned the
delegates in attendance, a full house she noted with pleasure, and glanced to
either side acknowledging Marin and Leah who were alert and watchful flanking
her like guard dogs. She could see Jared had taken a seat in the lower gallery
and wondered again how he was feeling. He hadn't revealed much, perhaps more
adjusted than most to her continued cyber presence. Nevertheless she could tell
that much was on his mind.

This wasn't the
First Orbital Chamber; that was on Reubus Orbital, but under the circumstances
it was felt the Tihan palace would be best suited for this meeting; plus it was
of a similar size and grandeur.

Three hundred
and thirty elected representatives of the various system tribes were buzzing
with conversation as they waited, and above them floated the circle of the big
six Minds, Reubus looking bold and defiant, Tihan looking somewhat cowed by his
neighbor but nevertheless appearing as the Sage; Acura, typically the brazen
beauty with somewhat punk leanings; Titan, representative of the system and
interstellar fleets; Hilary as always the most gracious lady and Ham. Regan
chuckled. He rarely did anything to enhance his standing, and always presented
as the same beautiful man, confident in his powers; he had no need to impress.
She felt for him there and saw he was looking toward her. She could see the
love in his look and felt pangs of guilt over the things she had said to him.

[Ham]

[Yo] And he smiled.

[I'm sorry, about the . . .]

[Stop babe; there is nothing to apologize
for]

[You gave a life too Ham, one of you died
there and you gave it to save me pain . . . I was so ungrateful]

At that moment a buzz signaled the decision
had been reached, the votes had been counted, the delegates checked. Regan sat
up straight as did most in the chamber, all eager to hear the results. There
were two motions before the council. The first, a motion of censure against
Reubus, for his actions leading to the death of Commander Tyrian Juno in the
Earth system, and his likely participation whether by direct action or omission
of care, in the bodily death of Regan Stein.

The second motion was to enact anti
monopoly legislation which effectively meant no, one individual, company or
Mind could hold majority shares in strategic industries such as energy,
transport or primary produce.

The buzz which had filled the chamber died away
and soon all that could be heard was the gentle hiss of air conditioning.

Regan looked down to her screen and felt a
quiet thrill at the result which she would soon announce. Not surprisingly the
first motion had failed. There had never been enough hard evidence of Reubus's
direct involvement in the death of Commander Juno, despite the obvious being
apparent to anyone. And as everything from the energy plant had been destroyed including
the bodily Regan and the Android Ham, no one had any idea what happened there.
Nevertheless, in her heart she knew, and so did Reubus. She knew he had gotten
away with murder. Still, she was at peace; the debate over Reubus culpability
had been humiliating, and his reputation was shattered.

In addition the second motion had passed,
and she delighted in the role she would now play; that of the deliverer of the
result to the assembly, and to Reubus himself. She knew all eyes would be upon
her and she rose confidently to speak - only to be rudely interrupted by the
voice of Reubus, booming from the circle.

"Delegates, before we hear the results
of the voting, I would like to raise a matter of procedure."

Ham rose angrily from his seat, only to be
stilled by Regan's voice, calm and reasonable.

"We have time delegates; the Chamber
recognizes Reubus, of Reubus Orbital. She resumed her seat.

He stood. "Thank you madam
chair," Reubus paused for effect, drawing the attention of the chamber.
"With respect to our Chair Regan Stein, the present head of the Gliese
system." He bowed in her direction. "The holding of this Titular
position comes by virtue of her unique personage, that of being both humanoid
and Mind, making a bridge between the biological and the digital. It grieves me
to point this out, but since the unfortunate accident far out in our system, it
appears no individual now exists with this ability. I question therefore the
validity of this role in the future and call for its abolition."

Regan tensed at the words and rose, considering
how to reply. She hesitated for a second as she composed herself, a moment in
which she looked down to notice someone walking to the speakers rostrum. She
zoomed closer and to her shock realized it was Jared.
This will be
interesting.
Trusting her instincts she waited as the boy reached the
rostrum and stepped up confidently before pausing to scan the chamber slowly.

"Madam Chair, Representatives of the
tribes and you great Minds of this system, many of you will not know me; I am
Jared Stein, the proud son of Regan. With respect to Reubus of Reubus Orbital .
. ." and he paused to nod in Reubus's direction. It was only a brief pause
but enough time for the great Mind to stand quickly and make to protest.

But before he could do so in a stunning
development Jared simply raised one hand and pointed in the great Mind's
direction - and Reubus froze with mouth still open, cast like a frozen screen,
his avatar taking on an uncertain shimmer with his words locked.

"As I was saying" Jared
continued, "The once great Reubus has suggested that as there now exists
no bridge between the biological and the digital, there is therefore no longer
a place for such a role as my mother holds. I am happy to declare, that his
assertions are false."

Stepping aside from the rostrum brought him
in full sight of the chamber and he stopped there, with another figure taking
one more pace. In that moment before them appeared the human Jared, and the
avatar, and both bowed to overwhelming applause.

And as Regan waited for the applause to die
out her eyes seemed to roam of their own volition - to Ham in the circle, then
to Jared and then to his avatar; and a thought dawned; a thought that was
inescapable.

. . .
Are you Jared, or Mori . . . or
are you Ham?

And as she pondered the question and her
own digital state in this new scheme of things another thought arose unbidden
in her mind . . .

Oh Ham - my man - is this what it was
all about - is the transition complete?

* * * * * *

Other books
by this author

Regan's Reach

Orbital Envy

Confluence Point

Avarice is fourth in the series and will be followed by 'Enforcer,
the Nature of Evil' as the ideas for it are already flowing in my mind. Each
book is a complete story in itself and I won't leave you hanging; I hate that
myself. To really enjoy the books though, I do recommend reading them in order.
Have fun on the journey and may you find your own Ham.